These are the biggest age gaps between Netflix characters and actors who play them

In Netflix teen dramas it’s always a shock when you find out the people playing these young teens at school are actually a lot lot older. It’s like Netflix has some sort of formula where you take a 30-year-old, cast them as a 16-year-old, put them in a baseball jacket and Vans and hope nobody notices. But we do notice – Netflix age gaps are real.

Here are some of the biggest age gaps between actors and the teen characters they are cast as on Netflix. Prepare to have your mind blown.

Nicola Coughlan – Penelope Featherington

Age gap: 17 years

Everyone’s favourite Featherington sister is played by Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan. In real life actress Nicola is 34. Penelope’s age in Bridgerton in 17, making her exactly 17 years younger than Nicola who plays her.

Timothy Granaderos – Monty

Age gap: 15 years

Timothy Granderos plays Monty, who is currently 18-years-old in 13 Reasons Why. In real life, Timothy is 33-years-old – nearly double the age of his on-screen character.

Claudia Jessie – Eloise Bridgerton

Age gap: 14 years

Claudia Jessie plays the icon that is Eloise Bridgerton. She was born in Birmingham in October 1989, making her 31 in real life. Eloise is much younger than Claudia, at just 17-years-old. This means there is a 14 year age gap between the actor and character.

Chelsea Alden – Mackenzie

Age gap: 14 years

Chelsea Alden has the second biggest of the age gaps between her in real life and her Netflix character. She plays 18-year-old Mackenzie in 13 Reasons Why, and is 32 herself.

Dino Petrera – Jonah

Age gap: 14 years

In Never Have I Ever, Jonah is 15-years-old. The actor who plays him, Dino Petrera, is actually 29!! He was born in 1991!! I can’t believe it?!

Ashleigh Murray – Josie McCoy

Age gap: 13 years

Ashleigh was 28 when she started playing 15-year-old Josie in Riverdale. She is 32-years-old now.

Darren Barnet – Paxton Hall Yoshida

Age gap: 13 years

Darren Barnet plays Paxton in Never Have I Ever. In the show, Paxton is 16-years-old. But Darren Barnet, who plays him, is actually 29. He was born in April 1991. Wow, just wow.

Meganne Young – Rachel

Age gap: 13 years

Meganne Young plays Rachel in The Kissing Booth. She is the eldest of all the teens in the main cast of The Kissing Booth 2. She was born on March 22nd 1990 in South Africa. This makes her around 13 years older than her character in the film.

Ross Butler – Zach Dempsey

Age gap: 12 years

Ross Butler is 30-years-old in real life. He plays Zach in 13 Reasons Why, who is 18-years-old on the show.

Chase Stokes – John B

Age gap: 11 years

John B in Outer Banks is around 16-years-old. Chase Stokes, who plays him, is 27 in real life.

Ncuti Gatwa – Eric Effiong

Age gap: 11 years

Eric in Sex Education is played by 27-year-old Ncuti Gatwa. Eric is meant to be around 16-years-old in the show.

Eliot Salt – Terra

Age gap: 11 years

Eliot Salt has the biggest of the age gaps between actor and character in the teen series Fate: The Winx Saga. Her character Terra is 16 whilst she is 27.

Tanya Reynolds – Lily

Age gap: 12 years

Tanya Reynolds, who plays Lily in Sex Education, is also one of the eldest members of the cast who play the teen roles. Tanya was born on the 4th November 1991 – so is 28.

Lily Collins – Emily Cooper

Age gap: 10 years

Lily Collins was born on March 18th 1989, making her 31-years-old. She plays Emily Cooper in Emily In Paris, who is around 10 years her junior. In an interview, Lily said: “I don’t believe we’ve ever given her a specific ‘number’ for her age, but I believe that she’s pretty fresh out of college. Maybe this is her first year after graduation. I want to say she’s like, 22-ish.”

Mason Temple – Hunter

Age gap: 10 years

Mason Temple plays Hunter in Ginny and Georgia, who on screen is a 15-year-old sophomore. In real life, Mason was born on January 17th 1996, meaning there’s a 10 year age gap between him and his character.

Charles Melton – Reggie Mantle

Age gap: 10 years

Charles joined the Riverdale cast in season two to play Reggie, when he was 26. Charles is 29-years-old now.

Tommy Dorfman – Ryan Shaver

Age gap: 10 years

In 13 Reasons Why, Ryan Shaver is 18-years-old. Tommy was born on May 13th 1992 – making him 28-years-old.

Taylor Zakhar Perez – Marco

Age gap: 10 years

Taylor Zakhar Perez, who plays heartthrob Marco, was born on Christmas Day in 1991 – making him 28-years-old. This means he is over 10 years older than his character in The Kissing Booth 2. Taylor was born in Chicago and is one of eight siblings.

Sosie Bacon – Skye Miller

Age gap: 10 years

In 13 Reasons Why, Skye is 18. Sosie Miller, who plays her, is 28 in real life.

Christian Navarro – Tony Padilla

Age gap: Nine years

In 13 Reasons Why, Tony Padilla is 19. Christian Navarro was born on August 21st 1991 – making him 28-years-old.

Cole Sprouse – Jughead Jones

Age gap: Nine years

Cole Sprouse is currently 27-years-old. He started playing Jughead in Riverdale when he was 24.

Casey Cott – Kevin Keller

Age gap: Nine years

Casey Cott started playing 15-year-old Kevin in Riverdale when he was 24. Casey Cott was born in August 1992 and is 27 now.

Vanessa Morgan – Toni Topaz

Age gap: Nine years

Vanessa was 25 when she joined during the second season of Riverdale as Toni Topaz. She’s 28 now.

Patricia Allison – Ola

Age gap: Nine years

Patricia Allison plays Ola in Sex Education. In real life she is 25 and was born in London in 1994.

Aimee-Lou Wood – Aimee Gibbs

Age gap: Nine years

Aimee, who plays 16-year-old Aimee in Sex Education, is 25-years-old in real life. She was born on the 2nd November 1995.

Kedar Williams-Stirling – Jackson Marchetti

Age gap: Nine years

Kedar Williams-Stirling plays Jackson in Sex Education. He’s 25 in real life, whereas Jackson is around 16.

Elisha Applebaum – Musa

Age gap: Nine years

Elisha Applebaum plays first year student Musa in Netflix teen drama series Fate: The Winx Saga. Musa is 16 in the show, whilst Elisha is 25.

Antonia Gentry – Ginny Miller

Age gap: Eight years

Antonia Gentry plays 15-year-old Ginny Miller in Ginny and Georgia. In real life the actress is 23, meaning there is an eight year age gap between her and her character.

Anne Winters – Chloe

Age gap: Eight years

26-year-old Anne Winters plays 18-year-old Chloe in 13 Reasons Why.

Miles Heizer – Alex Standall

Age gap: Eight years

Alex is 18 on 13 Reasons Why. Miles was born on May 6th 1994, making him 26-years-old.

Justin Prentice – Bryce Walker

Age gap: Eight years

Bryce Walker is 18 in 13 Reasons Why. Justin Prentice, who plays him, was born on March 25th 1994 – making him 26-years-old.

Brandon Flynn – Justin Foley

Age gap: Eight years

Justin Foley is 18-years-old in 13 Reasons Why. Brandon Flynn, who plays him, was born on October 11th 1993 – making him 26-years-old.

Michele Selene Ang – Courtney Crimsen

Age gap: Eight years

In 13 Reasons Why, Courtney is 18. Michele was born on February 18th 1994 – making her 26-years-old.

Joe Keery – Steve Harrington

Age gap: Eight years

Joe Keery in real life is 28 years old!!!! His character Steve in Stranger Things is besties with a 14-year-old, which is a bit weird. Joe was born on April 24th 1992 in Massachusetts.

Emma Mackey – Maeve Wiley

Age gap: Eight years

In Sex Education, Emma Mackey plays 16-year-old Maeve. Emma is 24 in real life.

Brandon Larracuente – Jeff Atkins

Age gap: Seven years

Jeff is 18 years old on 13 Reasons Why. He’s played by Brandon Larracuente, who was born on November 16th 1994 – which makes him 25-years-old.

Camillia Mendes – Veronica Lodge

Age gap: Seven years

Camila Mendes started playing 15-year-old Veronica Lodge in Riverdale when she was 22. She is now 25 in real life.

Joel Courtney – Lee Flynn

Age gap: Seven years

Joel Courtney was born on January 31st 1996, and is 24-years-old. He is around seven years older than his character in The Kissing Booth, Lee. Joel was born in Monterey, California and proposed to his long term girlfriend, Mia Scholink, earlier this year.

Charlie Heaton – Jonathan Byres

Age gap: Seven years

Charlie Heaton plays Jonathan in Stranger Things. Charlie is 26 in real life, whereas Jonathan was 18 in the last season of the show, last year. Charlie was born on February 6th 1994 in Bridlington, UK.

Austin North –  Topper

Age gap: Seven years

Austin North plays Topper in Outer Banks, who is 16. Austin North’s age in real life is 23.

Ramona Young – Eleanor

Age gap: Seven years

22-year-old Ramona Young plays 15-year-old Eleanor in Never Have I Ever on Netflix. Ramona Young was born in May 1998.

Asa Butterfield – Otis Milburn

Age gap: Seven years

In Sex Education, Otis is meant to be around 16-years-old. Asa Butterfield, who plays him, is actually 23.

Connor Swindells – Adam Groff

Age gap: Seven years

In Sex Education, Connor Swindells plays Adam. In real life his is 23-years-old.

Precious Mustapha- Aisha

Age gap: Seven years

Precious Mustapha plays Aisha, a first year student in Fate: The Winx Saga. Her character is 16, whilst in real life Precious is 23.

*Age gaps calculated from the age the actor was when the show was aired on Netflix.*

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